All Roads Lead To Denali
by CDR Blaine
Summary: Gibbs uncovers the name of a friend, Caroline Blaine, during the murder investigation of a JAG officer by her husband, a decorated Marine. The team must proceed carefully to protect a national security secret asset and solve the case.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters from NCIS belong to Belisario and CBS. I'm just playing in the sand box. Characters from Unwritten, the novel, are property of M.C. Henson. So I suppose I shall give myself persmission to use my own characters.

For those of you who that have read my novel Unwritten, thank you. This is a prequel to the novel. I have had this in my head for some time and decided to commit this to 'paper' as it were. Unwritten is a JAG story and blends so seemlessly with NCIS, I just had to write this. Especially after meeting Mark Harmon last year. He was the inspiration for a character in the novel- Sonny Blaine.

Enjoy! I like reviews. I need them in order to develop this story effectively. I have no beta, so the mistakes are my own. Thanks for reading my prose.

14:07 Zulu

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

Washington, D.C.

Caroline Blaine walked across the Navy Yard on her way to meet up with Leroy Jethro Gibbs. They had crossed paths many times in the past while she worked on NCIS Intelligence assignments with her contact, NCIS Intelligence Director Special Agent Jack Madison. A JAG officer had been killed by her husband, who happened to be a Marine. A full investigation by NCIS and a concurrent JAG-man investigation had also been launched. Gibbs had sought Jack out when Blaine's name had been found in a crate of stolen ammunition at the crime scene. Jack phoned her on-board the USS Franklin Pierce, a bird farm, deployed in the Mediterranean. He always knew where to find her.

Blaine entered the building in civilian attire, flashing her credentials. She waited patiently for the guard to check and log her weapon, a Beretta, at the door. She received her weapon from him and a pass, to allow free movement without escort inside the building.

Coming off the elevator, she was encompassed in a monster hug from Abby. Blaine's eyes almost bugged out from the squeeze. Abby practically squealed with delight.

"It's nice to see you again too, Abby." Blaine rubbed her ribs as the feeling began to return.

Despite the need to question Blaine and treat her like an involved suspect, Gibbs had to turn his head and smile. Leave it to Abby. It was just her manner when greeting old friends. Blaine came forward in the open squad room, noticing Jack on the stairs above, descending from MTAC. Abby was hot on her heels.

"So when you're done up here, come down to the lab. I've got this killer new CD and you've just got to-"

Abby was cut short by Gibbs and his famous stare. She inhaled and went quiet. "Um, okay. Later then."

Gibbs watched as a dejected Abby retreated to the elevator once more and Blaine came to stand in front of his desk. Dinozzo, Kate, and McGee were all sitting patiently at their desks awaiting orders to follow him to interrogation. Each one was glancing at the other to see if they recognized the woman before them. Dinozzo was, of course, staring at her rear. Gibbs said nothing to them however as he acknowledged Jack on the stairs with a negative head shake. Jack wouldn't be joining them yet. The drawer which held his Sig Sauer was unlocked and the clip slid into place. This let his team know that he would be leaving the building with Blaine.

He barked out an order. "Conference room, now."

She followed without hesitation, or a single word.

The doors shut on them. The switch was flipped to halt the car in its tracks. He embraced Blaine in hug, which was not his usual behavior. She returned the gesture.

"Damn, it's good to see you again Blaine. I only wish it were under better circumstances."

"I'd say the same, but I don't really miss that arrogant persona of yours. We do what we do. We don't apologize."

Each sported a grin of mutual understanding.

"Run it down for me and I'll tell you what I know Gibbs."

"Later, in the interrogation room for posterity. Right now-"

She laughed and finished his sentence. "Coffee."

The sun was in her face as she drank the cup of Starbucks brew. The anchor in the yard outside NCIS headquarters supported her weight as she leaned against it. She was jet lagged and beat. Riding a Navy transport was rough sometimes and severe turbulence had prevented her from sleeping enough.

Gibbs observed Blaine from head to toe. She was carrying her Beretta, tucked neatly under her suit jacket where it always rested. He knew from experience it was the only weapon she carried, for she was a lethal weapon herself. Few people knew of her true background. Gibbs was one of them.

He sipped the coffee and decided to take a shot at a touchy subject with her. "How is your Dad?"

"He's still in Italy, robbing banks now."

Gibbs laughed. "Really? I would have thought he'd be on the range teaching."

" He robs banks for big-bucks so he can tell a decrepit board of European directors how to prevent others from doing the same. He loves it."

"I'm sure he still has his James Bond moments then with that kind of job."

Blaine snorted. "I'm sure. But not on my watch. I don't have much to say to him sometimes."

Gibbs shook his head. "I know the feeling. I didn't grow up 'Leave It To Beaver' style either. He's a good man though. He taught me how not to screw the pooch as a sniper. He always said 'one shot, one kill.' Taught me how to make a gilly suit out of whatever I had on hand."

"You'll forgive me if I don't go all warm and fuzzy on you. I have different memories of him. I'm just now to the point where I'm not ready to interrogate him on why he left us. It nearly killed my mother."

"He had his reasons Blaine."

"I know. They were good reasons. But tell that to a ten year old." She turned and kicked the anchor slightly. "Come on. Despite the Gibbs patented interrogation method, you don't scare me. I have a feeling the details of the case aren't going to shock me either."

He smiled. "Wanna bet? Bottle of brandy on it as usual?"

"You're on." She drained the coffee cup and followed him to the garage. They would visit the crime scene before her interview.

Jack was sitting on Dinozzo's desk as they returned.

Gibbs walked past them to return his weapon to the drawer. He finally spouted the order they had been waiting on. "Everybody, interrogation, now."

McGee and Dinozzo followed behind Blaine. Tony was more interested in her rounded figure as he stared at her behind again. Kate shook her head in disgust as he motioned to McGee an hour glass figure. They filled the observation room, along with Jack, while Gibbs circled the table, file in hand.

Tony grimaced. "I'm confused."

Kate jumped right on the comment. "You? You didn't seem too confused by her 'assets' earlier when you were walking behind her. Let me explain it to you Tony. When a man and woman really like each other-"

"Ha ha, very funny Kate."

McGee just loved seeing them this way. Combat with words seemed to be their forte. He preferred to listen and watch, keeping information tucked away for blackmail later. They continued for a few moments before Jack had heard enough.

"Okay Fred and Ethel, enough."

Tony stuck his tongue out at Kate behind Jack's back. "I'm going to ask Jack, since you obviously know something more than we do. Who is this woman and how does Gibbs know her?"

Jack eyed the eager agents. "Ask them."

Tony was dissatisfied with that answer. "Just ask them? Perhaps you haven't met our team leader. Yeah, you know- quiet type, barks orders, hits you on the back of head when he gets annoyed with you and never answers a direct question."

Jack smiled. "That's Gibbs. Wouldn't be him otherwise."

Kate glanced between McGee and Dinozzo. "So you're not going to tell us?"

"Nope. She's a national security secret. Need to know only." Jack eyed the glass separating them.

Gibbs finally sat down with the file open in front of him. He began arranging photos in front of her. They were shots of the crime scene and an ammunition crate, but not of the dead JAG officer.

"For the record, please state your name." He waited.

"Caroline Blaine, special service agent for the United States of America, serial number 979386909. My duties are classified."

"Your name was found in a crate of yet unreleased prototype ammunition at the crime scene, involving the death of a JAG Lieutenant Commander by her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Carlyle Ramsey. He was arrested by base security, fleeing the scene with the crate in a really big hurry. Ramsey never made it past the end of his driveway in a car though. He made too much noise and the neighbors called the guard at Anacostia. I have a dead Navy officer and a Marine in custody that refuses to tell me anything." He leaned across the table. "Can you tell me why your name was in that crate?"

"Not at this time."

His eyebrow twitched. "Can't, or won't?"

"What's the difference?"

Gibbs was enraged with her, despite the fact that he knew her. "You're on thin ice. Without explanation you're implicated in theft of United States Armed Forces property, and anything else I decide to charge you with. Don't try my patience with this."

"I can't tell you. What I can tell you is to back off this. You're in over your head and you don't even realize it. Ramsey wasn't acting alone. Check his cell phone records and see who they lead back to. McGee already has them. Let him cross reference the numbers. Dinozzo pulled the bank statements for the money trail. Someone was paying Ramsey for the theft. Kate has his full service jacket and where he's been traveling to within his work. He's meeting up with someone to exchange more than cock and bull stories."

McGee seemed surprised and looked at the others behind the glass with him, feeling a bit paranoid. They didn't know her, but she obviously knew them.

"I'm going to see Abby. I'll be back." McGee was good with numbers. Between himself and Abby, they could find out who this woman was by pulling the service number he had committed to memory already.

Tony held his head at an awkward angle suddenly. "This is starting to feel like the Twilight Zone and I've walked into another dimension with you and Elf Lord. Who is this woman and how does she know what we've been doing?"

McGee sat at one of Abby's many computers pouring through every service database they had privy to. Niether of them could find the number Blaine had spouted off.

"Who exactly are we looking for Timothy?"

"It's a number that was given out during interrogation. I came down to pull the record to go with it."

"Why not pull that at your desk?" She was confused.

McGee swallowed hard.

Gibbs walked up behind them suddenly, seemingly appearing from thin air as always, when you were trying to do something sneaky. He answered for McGee.

"Because he doesn't want me to know he's researching Blaine." He targeted McGee with laser beams from his eyes. "Next time, just ask. Okay?"

McGee nodded quickly. "Yes, Boss."

Blaine came in to the room flanked by Dinozzo, Kate and Jack.

Everyone suddenly turned and focused on Blaine.

Gibbs tapped his foot. "I'm waiting. My team deserves to know everything. Not just me. That's why we left the interrogation room."

"Walls have ears here and you know it."

He agreed. "Abby, turn some of that noise you call music up and follow us into the ballistics lab."

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Blaine drew a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and lowered her head. Everyone around her was waiting, with baited breath. Short brown curls on her forehead slipped down, just over her gray eyes. The five foot five firecracker looked even smaller to Gibbs suddenly. A moment later, she raised her head and fixated her stare on him.

"I'll tell you only what I think you need to know. I will need to visit JAG HQ today as well. Their JAG officers running the other investigation could be in danger and don't even know it. Obviously what I am about to tell you is classified. It doesn't get written down. It doesn't get typed into a computer. It doesn't leave this room except within the confines of your head. Am I clear?"

Each person in the room glanced around to the others, all nodding. Blaine paused only for a moment and then began again.

"Ramsey was supposed to meet me in Las Vegas in three days. He was from there originally, still has family there, and figured it would be the ideal place to run away to before leaving the country. He killed his wife because he was told do so. Someone got to him- someone by the name of Admiral Martin Henderson. He is the culprit. He's in Leavenworth for a bit longer, but still calls the shots on the outside just fine. He was involved in some rather shady dealings like ripping off the Marine Corps and the Navy. Oh, and by the way, he was involved in a program to train unorthodox human weapons sanctioned by the CIA and the Navy called Denali. He has managed to kill off most of the people who put him away and anybody else that has pissed him off. He maintains contacts in all the intelligence agencies and stays one step ahead. Lieutenant Commander Sarah Ramsey never had a chance. She helped put Henderson away by serving on the prosecution. The lead prosecutor on the case was Commander David Reese."

Kate chimed in. "I remember hearing about the case. It was all over the papers. I was new to the Secret Service at the time, and Washington, so I devoured every newspaper I could get my hands on."

"Henderson has tried once before to take Reese out, but we managed to eliminate the threat. They even made a deal with Henderson to shorten his sentence in Leavenworth if he would call off the dogs on Reese. Everyone knew if Reese died, Henderson would get a life sentence for murder. Finally Henderson wised up and decided to leave Reese alone. Ramsey however is a special kind of sick-o. He rose through the ranks to make Lieutenant Colonel very quickly with some ill mannered influence. He's super intelligent and devious. Henderson wanted him because he had access to different kinds of ammunition while it was still on the test range. Ramsey had the clearances and the ability to lay hands on what Henderson wanted. It makes Henderson money, even behind bars. He gives new meaning to the term organized crime."

Tony shook his head. "This Henderson sounds like a super guy. Maybe we should invite him over for tea."

Blaine laughed. "You'd need more than crumpets for this man. He needs a little arsenic in his Earl Grey. I want him to go down for good. Not only for what he's done, but for what he's capable of. He is the worst kind of enemy. Ruthless and evil, but incredibly well connected. One nasty piece of work, that describes him."

Gibbs stepped over to the crate of ammunition that sat in the ballistics lab. It was the evidence that had led them to Blaine. "You need this crate, don't you? Because you still have a mission to carry out when you sell it."

Without a word, she nodded. "I told the buyer that I had some trouble getting my hands on the merchandise, but would have it. I've managed to postpone the deal, for now. He knows me by the name of Snowbird."

Blaine joined Gibbs at the crate. She opened it and pulled out a single round. "Magnificent, isn't it? 7.62, full metal jacket comprised of hardened brass coated with nickel, armor piercing, and if that wasn't enough, once it hits the target, it has a little chip inside that senses if it is surrounded by tissue or an inanimate object. If it is organic, then the round, which is still in tact, will blow. If it didn't kill the target when it went in, it will get them anyway when the round explodes into millions of pieces of shrapnel. It's being made available for hand guns too."

All the faces around the room had their jaws hanging open.

Blaine grimaced. "Vests are optional boys and girls."

Abby looked depressed. "I can't even imagine what the consequences would be if these hit the streets."

McGee looked like he was going to hurl. "It's almost like a targeted grenade if were loaded into a hand gun. Kevlar wouldn't stop it. Nothing would."

The silver jacket of the round glinted in the ambient light. Blaine replaced the round into the crate and closed the lid.

"Every army in the world would kill to have these. My buyer is from Texas. His name is Salimar Shahir Fayed."

Gibbs knew the name, but not the complete dossier. "SecNav Regis know anything about this? An operation like this wouldn't just be handled by the CIA. Navy Intel and NCIS would be all over this."

After that statement, Tony, Kate, and McGee all assumed she was CIA.

Blaine licked her lips before she answered. "He knows Jethro."

Tony piped up finally, unable to remain quiet any longer. "May I call you Caroline?"

She laughed. "All my friends call me Blaine. Only my family calls me Caroline."

Tony immediately formed a snarky comment in his head, but thought better of it. "Well then, Blaine, how is it then that the CIA is handling this little breach? Because I would think they wouldn't want this cargo to actually make it into the wrong hands. Are you going to meet the guy, then eliminate him, after you find out all you can? Or will you actually let these rounds out of your sight? I, for one, don't even want to go near one of these rounds, much less think about the possibility I could encounter one some day. If these get out, then more will conveniently slip out. I know McGee and Abby are just fascinated about microchips in ammunition, but it gives me the he-be-gee-bees."

Kate burst out laughing. "Sorry. I don't think I've heard those words since seventh grade Tony. The CIA isn't going to let those rounds actually leave the country. Will they?"

Blaine acknowledged their concern. "They aren't CIA property. They are Navy and Marine Corps property. Fayed wouldn't actually get these rounds. I'd promise him I could get him more, then never deliver."

Gibbs smirked and thought of a Fog Horn Leghorn cartoon. "Show him what you've got, but don't let him have it."

Blaine nodded.

Gibbs let his fist bounce lightly off the crate lid in slight frustration. "I can't use any of this information in my investigation or report. But somehow we're supposed to solve it."

Ducky startled everyone by pecking on the glass door. He wore a smile on his face when he saw Blaine in the room. He had news for Gibbs on Sarah Ramsey and opened the door. Abby's music from just outside blared in.

"What've you got, Duck?" Gibbs waited.

Abby stepped out to turn the music off quickly.

Blaine came forward first and gave the chatty medical examiner a long overdue hug. "Ducky! Comment ça va?"

Tony leaned over and whispered to McGee. "She just knows everyone. Doesn't she? I'd like to hear her speaking to me in French, suggestively that is."

Again, Tony and McGee eyed her curves. Gibbs caught the comment and the stare from both agents, promptly giving them a quiet Gibbs-slap to get them back on track.

In his patented manner, Ducky greeted her, losing his train of thought on Sarah Ramsey. "My dear Miss Blaine, it has been too long since we've shared a cuppa. You must visit more often. No one appreciates tea around here like you. Ça va bien. Et toi?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Ducky?"

"Ah, yes, Jethro. I think you'd better come and see for yourself."

They all filed out of the room, leaving Abby behind, headed for autopsy.


End file.
